IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ororsc/v27y2016i5p1219-1236.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Multilevel Analysis of the Performance Implications of Excess Control in Business Groups

Author

Listed:
  • Kuo-Pin Yang

    (Department of International Business, National Dong Hwa University, Shoufeng, Hualien 97401, Taiwan)

  • Gavin M. Schwarz

    (School of Management, UNSW Business School, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia)

Abstract

A central premise of business groups is that controlling shareholders seize disproportionate control in excess of their ownership as a means of becoming and remaining competitive. We reexamine this axiom by exploring the relationship between excess control rights and performance outcomes in business groups. Using a sample of 106 Taiwanese business groups, we confirm that the effects of excess control in business groups are double edged, such that group-level excess control exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with group performance. At the same time, results show that when group-level excess control is high, there is a stronger negative relationship between firm-level excess control and firm performance. Moreover, the study indicates that the detrimental effect of excess control is less pronounced in business groups that are governed by family members or by professional managers. Findings offer a far deeper view than previously proposed on the excess control phenomenon in business groups, and the need to distinguish firm performance from group performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuo-Pin Yang & Gavin M. Schwarz, 2016. "A Multilevel Analysis of the Performance Implications of Excess Control in Business Groups," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(5), pages 1219-1236, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:27:y:2016:i:5:p:1219-1236
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2016.1086
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2016.1086
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/orsc.2016.1086?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chang, James Jinho & Shin, Hyun-Han, 2007. "Family ownership and performance in Korean conglomerates," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 329-352, September.
    2. Tarun Khanna & Jan W. Rivkin, 2001. "Estimating the performance effects of business groups in emerging markets," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 45-74, January.
    3. Villalonga, Belen & Amit, Raphael, 2006. "How do family ownership, control and management affect firm value?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 385-417, May.
    4. Marianne Bertrand & Paras Mehta & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2002. "Ferreting out Tunneling: An Application to Indian Business Groups," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(1), pages 121-148.
    5. Michael Lubatkin & William S. Schulze & N Dino Richard, 2003. "Exploring the agency consequences of ownership dispersion among the directors of private family firms," Post-Print hal-02311676, HAL.
    6. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert Vishny, 2002. "Investor Protection and Corporate Valuation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(3), pages 1147-1170, June.
    7. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    8. Isabelle Le Breton-Miller & Danny Miller & Richard H. Lester, 2011. "Stewardship or Agency? A Social Embeddedness Reconciliation of Conduct and Performance in Public Family Businesses," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 704-721, June.
    9. Daphne W. Yiu & Yuan Lu & Garry D. Bruton & Robert E. Hoskisson, 2007. "Business Groups: An Integrated Model to Focus Future Research," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(8), pages 1551-1579, December.
    10. Daphne Yiu & Garry D. Bruton & Yuan Lu, 2005. "Understanding Business Group Performance in an Emerging Economy: Acquiring Resources and Capabilities in Order to Prosper," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 183-206, January.
    11. Sheard Paul, 1994. "Reciprocal Delegated Monitoring in the Japanese Main Bank System," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 1-21, March.
    12. Granovetter, Mark, 1995. "Coase Revisited: Business Groups in the Modern Economy," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 4(1), pages 93-130.
    13. Claessens, Stijn & Fan, Joseph P.H. & Lang, Larry H.P., 2006. "The benefits and costs of group affiliation: Evidence from East Asia," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 1-26, March.
    14. Jean‐Luc Arregle & Michael A. Hitt & David G. Sirmon & Philippe Very, 2007. "The Development of Organizational Social Capital: Attributes of Family Firms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 73-95, January.
    15. Bertrand, Marianne & Johnson, Simon & Samphantharak, Krislert & Schoar, Antoinette, 2008. "Mixing family with business: A study of Thai business groups and the families behind them," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 466-498, June.
    16. Lins, Karl V., 2003. "Equity Ownership and Firm Value in Emerging Markets," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(1), pages 159-184, March.
    17. Denis, Diane K. & McConnell, John J., 2003. "International Corporate Governance," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(1), pages 1-36, March.
    18. Michael Lubatkin & William S. Schulze & Richard N. Dino, 2003. "Exploring the agency consequences of ownership dispersion among the directors of private family firms," Post-Print hal-02276698, HAL.
    19. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 1999. "Corporate Ownership Around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(2), pages 471-517, April.
    20. Wright, Mike & Siegel, Donald S. & Keasey, Kevin & Filatotchev, Igor (ed.), 2013. "The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Governance," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199642007.
    21. Jean-Luc Arrègle & Michael Hitt & David Sirmon & Philippe Véry, 2007. "The Development of Organizational Social Capital : Attributes of Family Firms," Post-Print hal-02312687, HAL.
    22. Yin‐Hua Yeh, 2005. "Do Controlling Shareholders Enhance Corporate Value?," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(2), pages 313-325, March.
    23. Hsi-Mei Chung & Shu-Ting Chan, 2012. "Ownership structure, family leadership, and performance of affiliate firms in large family business groups," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 303-329, June.
    24. Morck, Randall K. (ed.), 2000. "Concentrated Corporate Ownership," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226536781, December.
    25. Dong‐Woon Kim, 2003. "Interlocking Ownership in the Korean Chaebol," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(2), pages 132-142, April.
    26. Anderson, Ronald C & Reeb, David M, 2003. "Founding-Family Ownership, Corporate Diversification, and Firm Leverage," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 46(2), pages 653-684, October.
    27. Stijn Claessens & Simeon Djankov & Joseph P. H. Fan & Larry H. P. Lang, 2002. "Disentangling the Incentive and Entrenchment Effects of Large Shareholdings," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(6), pages 2741-2771, December.
    28. Berglof, Erik & Perotti, Enrico, 1994. "The governance structure of the Japanese financial keiretsu," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 259-284, October.
    29. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra, 2006. "Business groups and their types," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 419-437, December.
    30. Julan Du & Yi Dai, 2005. "Ultimate Corporate Ownership Structures and Capital Structures: evidence from East Asian economies," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(1), pages 60-71, January.
    31. Raveendra Chittoor & Prashant Kale & Phanish Puranam, 2015. "Business groups in developing capital markets: Towards a complementarity perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9), pages 1277-1296, September.
    32. Tarun Khanna & Yishay Yafeh, 2007. "Business Groups in Emerging Markets: Paragons or Parasites?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 45(2), pages 331-372, June.
    33. Yin‐hua Yeh & Tsun‐siou Lee & Tracie Woidtke, 2001. "Family Control and Corporate Governance: Evidence from Taiwan," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 2(1‐2), pages 21-48.
    34. Randall K. Morck, 2000. "Concentrated Corporate Ownership," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number morc00-1, March.
    35. Randall Morck & Bernard Yeung, 2003. "Agency Problems in Large Family Business Groups," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 27(4), pages 367-382, October.
    36. Morck, Randall K. (ed.), 2007. "A History of Corporate Governance around the World," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226536811, December.
    37. Faccio, Mara & Lang, Larry H. P., 2002. "The ultimate ownership of Western European corporations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 365-395, September.
    38. Heitor V. Almeida & Daniel Wolfenzon, 2006. "A Theory of Pyramidal Ownership and Family Business Groups," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2637-2680, December.
    39. Danny Miller & Isabelle Le Breton-Miller & Richard H. Lester, 2013. "Family Firm Governance, Strategic Conformity, and Performance: Institutional vs. Strategic Perspectives," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 189-209, February.
    40. Marianne Bertrand & Antoinette Schoar, 2006. "The Role of Family in Family Firms," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 20(2), pages 73-96, Spring.
    41. Cubbin, John S & Leech, Dennis, 1983. "The Effect of Shareholding Dispersion on the Degree of Control in British Companies: Theory and Measurement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 93(37), pages 351-369, June.
    42. Michael N. Young & Mike W. Peng & David Ahlstrom & Garry D. Bruton & Yi Jiang, 2008. "Corporate Governance in Emerging Economies: A Review of the Principal–Principal Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 196-220, January.
    43. Claessens, Stijn & Djankov, Simeon & Lang, Larry H. P., 2000. "The separation of ownership and control in East Asian Corporations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 81-112.
    44. Yin-hua Yeh & Tsun-siou Lee & Tracie Woidtke, 2001. "Family Control and Corporate Governance: Evidence from Taiwan," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 2(1&2), pages 21-48.
    45. Chi‐nien Chung, 2001. "Markets, Culture and Institutions: The Emergence of Large Business Groups in Taiwan, 1950s–1970s," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 719-745, July.
    46. Larry H. P. Lang & Mara Faccio & Leslie Young, 2001. "Dividends and Expropriation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(1), pages 54-78, March.
    47. Rosenbusch, Nina & Brinckmann, Jan & Bausch, Andreas, 2011. "Is innovation always beneficial? A meta-analysis of the relationship between innovation and performance in SMEs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 441-457, July.
    48. Donald C. Hambrick & Axel v. Werder & Edward J. Zajac, 2008. "New Directions in Corporate Governance Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(3), pages 381-385, June.
    49. Kee‐Hong Bae & Jun‐Koo Kang & Jin‐Mo Kim, 2002. "Tunneling or Value Added? Evidence from Mergers by Korean Business Groups," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(6), pages 2695-2740, December.
    50. Bhagat, Sanjai & Bolton, Brian, 2008. "Corporate governance and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 257-273, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gavin M Schwarz & Karin Sanders & Dave Bouckenooghe, 2020. "In the driving seat: Executive’s perceived control over environment," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 45(2), pages 317-342, May.
    2. Angelo M. Solarino & Brian K. Boyd, 2020. "Are all forms of ownership prone to tunneling? A meta‐analysis," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 488-501, November.
    3. Gavin M. Schwarz & Kuo-Pin Yang & Christine Chou & Yu-Jen Chiu, 2020. "A classification of structural inertia: Variations in structural response," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 33-63, March.
    4. Purkayastha, Saptarshi & Manolova, Tatiana S. & Edelman, Linda F., 2018. "Business group effects on the R&D intensity-internationalization relationship: Empirical evidence from India," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 104-117.
    5. Min, Byung-Seong & Chen, Chien-Nan & Tien, Chengli, 2022. "Firms' responses to corporate governance reform in an emerging economy from the perspective of institutional logics," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 278-289.
    6. Diwei Lv, David & Zhu, Hang & Chen, Weihong & Lan, Hailin, 2021. "Negative performance feedback and firm cooperation: How multiple upward social comparisons affect firm cooperative R&D," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 872-883.
    7. Gama, Marina Amado Bahia & Bandeira-de-Mello, Rodrigo, 2021. "The effect of affiliation structure on the performance of pyramidal business groups," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 24-37.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luis Alfonso Dau & Randall Morck & Bernard Yin Yeung, 2021. "Business groups and the study of international business: A Coasean synthesis and extension," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(2), pages 161-211, March.
    2. Sumon Kumar Bhaumik & Andros Gregoriou, 2010. "‘Family’ Ownership, Tunnelling And Earnings Management: A Review Of The Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 705-730, September.
    3. Khosa,Amrinder & Ahmed,Kamran & Henry,Darren, 2019. "Ownership Structure, Related Party Transactions, and Firm Valuation," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108492195.
    4. Randall Morck, 2011. "Finance and Governance in Developing Economies," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 375-406, December.
    5. Di Cai & Jin-hui Luo & Di-fang Wan, 2012. "Family CEOs: Do they benefit firm performance in China?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 923-947, December.
    6. Weiping Liu & Haibin Yang & Guangxi Zhang, 2012. "Does family business excel in firm performance? An institution-based view," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 965-987, December.
    7. Chi, Yung-Ling, 2023. "The agency costs of family ownership: Evidence from innovation performance," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    8. Hsi-Mei Chung, 2013. "The role of family management and family ownership in diversification: The case of family business groups," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 871-891, September.
    9. Morck, Randall & Deniz Yavuz, M. & Yeung, Bernard, 2011. "Banking system control, capital allocation, and economy performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 264-283, May.
    10. Ann Terlaak & Seonghoon Kim & Taewoo Roh, 2018. "Not Good, Not Bad: The Effect of Family Control on Environmental Performance Disclosure by Business Group Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(4), pages 977-996, December.
    11. Bernard Yeung & Randall Morck & Daniel Wolfenzon, 2004. "Corporate Governance, Economic Entrenchment and Growth," Working Papers 04-21, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    12. Gama, Marina Amado Bahia & Bandeira-de-Mello, Rodrigo, 2021. "The effect of affiliation structure on the performance of pyramidal business groups," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 24-37.
    13. Heitor Almeida & Sang Yong Park & Marti Subrahmanyam & Daniel Wolfenzon, 2009. "The Structure and Formation of Business Groups: Evidence from Korean Chaebols," NBER Working Papers 14983, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Suveera Gill & Parmjit Kaur, 2015. "Family Involvement in Business and Financial Performance: A Panel Data Analysis," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 40(4), pages 395-420, December.
    15. Randall Morck, 2009. "The Riddle of the Great Pyramids," NBER Working Papers 14858, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Almeida, Heitor & Park, Sang Yong & Subrahmanyam, Marti G. & Wolfenzon, Daniel, 2011. "The structure and formation of business groups: Evidence from Korean chaebols," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 447-475, February.
    17. Caixe, Daniel Ferreira & Kalatzis, Aquiles Elie Guimarães & Castro, Luiz Ricardo Kabbach de, 2019. "Controlling shareholders and investment-risk sensitivity in an emerging economy," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 133-153.
    18. Hsi-Mei Chung & Shu-Ting Chan, 2012. "Ownership structure, family leadership, and performance of affiliate firms in large family business groups," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 303-329, June.
    19. Choi, Young Rok & Zahra, Shaker A. & Yoshikawa, Toru & Han, Bong H., 2015. "Family ownership and R&D investment: The role of growth opportunities and business group membership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1053-1061.
    20. Min, Byung-seong, 2021. "Heterogeneity of R&D in family firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 88-95.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:27:y:2016:i:5:p:1219-1236. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.